Rawna raised the Spear of Destruction high into the air and jumped up to the sky.

  “SPEAR, OF, DESTRUCTION!”

  Rawna hurled the deadly artifact downward. As it descended, a cataclysmic whirlwind of destructive power manifested. It’s force toe through everything in its path. The moment it made contact with the ground, a deafening explosion echoed across the arena.

  The Grand Arena, once a symbol of grandeur and competition, bore the full brunt of Rawna's assault. The structure crumbled and disintegrated before the might of the Spear of Destruction. Debris and dust were sent hurtling in all directions.

  Stronberg's protective barrier suffered another crack under the assault.

  The audience, caught in the wave of the Spear of Destruction's power, felt the pressure down upon them coming through the barrier. Panic spread through the stands. Some began to shout and scramble for safety.

  Amidst the chaos, the southern announcer boomed, ““Y’all, listen up! There’s no need to panic. I repeat, stay put and keep yer seats! The protective barriers are holdin' strong and keepin' us safe. Just sit tight!”

  The concerned Vuldo fangirls in the audience couldn't contain their worry any longer. One of them, the young woman holding the "Marry Me, Vuldo!" sign, spoke up with a tremble.

  "Oh no! Is Prince Vuldo okay? This is so scary!"

  Another fangirl added, "I can't believe what just happened! Please, let him be all right!"

  They were not alone in their concern. Whispers of anxiety spread throughout the audience, as many held their breath, hoping for some sign of the prince's safety.

  Roselle stared at the spectacle with widened eyes. Risebelle mirrored her sister's shock, though she quickly regained her composure. "That's unbelievable… they probably destroyed the entire ring with that one move."

  The words hung in the air, but Roselle remained silent. Risebelle raised an eyebrow and then waved a hand in front of her sister's face. "Roselle? Are you okay? Earth to Roselle!"

  Roselle blinked, snapping out of her daze. "Oh, sorry! I just... I’ve never seen anything like that before… The power behind that spear... it's terrifying."

  The destructive whirlwind began to subside around the arena. Flower petals, seemingly summoned by Rawna's dark magic formed a carpet along the entire arena floor.

  The petals reached into the dying whirlwind and pulled Prince Vuldo, who had suffered significant damage, out of the chaotic tempest. With a cruel force, the petals flung him aside, and he landed heavily on the now-devastated arena. Vuldo was shrouded in the crimson glow of Rawna's malevolent magic.

  With immense effort, Prince Vuldo managed to push himself up from the shattered arena floor. His body bore the visible signs of the brutal battle, marred with bruises and bloody wounds. He took deep, ragged breaths.

  With a pained face, Vuldo said, “You almost had me... If Stronberg's barrier hadn't been here, this entire city might have been obliterated. Rawna, you weren’t holding back at all...."

  Kintovar shrieked from the crowd. "That is a terrifying thought."

  Juliana nodded in agreement. "Indeed, it's all the more reason for us to obtain that Spear from Rawna later and examine its properties. Understanding its capabilities could prove invaluable."

  Rawna approached Vuldo and took a few heavy breathes. Vuldo looked at her with concern."Now I know how far you're willing to go with that weapon.”

  Rawna placed one hand over her eye and gritted her teeth.

  Prince Vuldo, with visible effort, knelt in a deep bow before Rawna. He sheathed his blade and said, "I concede, Rawna. You've bested me this time, but mark my words, at the Eastern Annual Tournament, I'll be the one ready to take you down."

  The announcer stammered out, "The winner... is Rawna."

  Rawna cast one last look at Vuldo, and without another word, she turned and walked away, her ominous presence gradually fading as she left the arena.

  The crowd, instead of bursting into cheers, murmured in amazement. Meanwhile, Prince Vuldo's fangirls in the audience couldn't hold back their tears.

  The one holding the "Marry Me Vuldo" sign stepped forward with confidence rather than sadness. “Don’t worry, girls, Vuldo will win the Eastern Annual Tournament for sure! This was just practice for him. And remember, he didn't even use his Full power this time!”

  The fangirls continued to cry. The girl with the "Marry Me, Vuldo!" sign sighed and began to pack it away.

  "The things I do for the girls," she muttered to herself, shaking her head with a small smile. As the leader of the fangirls, she wore a Vuldo cheerleader shirt with pride.

  Reaching into her bag, she pulled out her phone and tapped a button. Instantly, the familiar jingle of ice cream music played through its speakers. The sound was a siren call for the fangirls, who perked up at the promise of sweet consolation.

  "Ice cream!" they chorused. They followed their leader out of the stands, leaving the arena behind.

  As Rawna exited the arena, Roselle's gaze followed her intently. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment. The aura of power surrounding Rawna was both awe-inspiring and daunting.

  Roselle thought to herself, ‘This is the type of power I'm going to have to deal with. If I want to protect those I care about, I need to reach that level.’

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

  Roselle clenched her fists. ‘I will use everything I've experienced here to grow stronger.’

  In her mind's eye, she envisioned herself standing in the arena, facing off against the one figure who haunted her thoughts—Dark Whirlwind. They shared her face, a twisted reflection of her own visage, cloaked in darkness, their presence accompanied by a swirling vortex capable of shaking cities.

  Roselle remembered the last time she and her sisters had faced Dark Whirlwind. The memory was etched in her mind like a scar. They had been defeated, utterly and completely. Dark Whirlwind's power had left them all in ruin, but Risebelle had suffered the worst. She gained a gaping hole in her body that had taken immense effort to repair.

  ‘They are the most powerful mage in existence’, Roselle thought. ‘But that won't stop me.’

  Her vision solidified, and she saw herself confronting Dark Whirlwind once more. But this time, she would be ready. This time, she would stand her ground and fight back with everything she had.

  Roselle raised one fist up infront of her. ‘I will get stronger. I will beat them the next time we fight.’

  The announcer was heard through the mic."Alrighty, folks! We're gonna take us a quick 10-minute break so we can get this Grand Arena all spiffed up and ready for more action. Now, don't y'all worry, 'cause Stronberg's on top of it and has assured us that everything's just fine and dandy. So go ahead and grab yourselves some grub and drinks, stretch your legs a bit, and get ready for more thrills and spills when we come back. Oh, yall won't wanna miss what's comin' soon!”

  During the 10-minute break, the atmosphere in the arena was one of excitement and anticipation. The audience was a sea of fans from different corners of the world. They filled the stands with chatter and discussions about the matches they had just witnessed. Vendors scurried around, selling a variety of refreshments. They had everything from colorful cotton candy to steaming hotdogs. The sweet aroma of popcorn and the sizzle of grilling meat wafted through the air as well.

  Roselle, Risebelle, Runebelle, and Dr. Kintovar made their way through the crowd. The group first ventured into the food court, where they were greeted by the enticing aroma of various treats. Roselle's eyes widened upon spotting a vendor selling adorable Tournament-themed pastries. Risebelle's attention was drawn to a stall serving spicy takoyaki. Runebelle, observed the surroundings with gloom.

  Roselle let out an excited squeal. She pointed at a pair of girls who had perfectly captured her and Risebelle's appearance in their costumes. The cosplaying girls beamed with delight, and Roselle exchanged a few words with them.

  The group then made their way to the merchandise booths, where they found an array of posters, keychains, and art prints adorned with the characters they had created.

  Dr. Kintovar stood proudly at a bustling merchandise booth, selling Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle-themed memorabilia. His table was crowded with fans eager to purchase action figures, T-shirts, and plush toys of the beloved characters. Each sale added to the rapidly growing stack of bills in Kintovar’s till, and his grin widened with every transaction.

  “Step right up, folks!” Kintovar called out with enthusiasm. “Get your official Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle merchandise here! Limited edition, exclusive to the Grand Arena tournament!”

  Juliana, Kintovar's grandmother, stood beside her, eyeing the collection with amusement. She pointed out some Kintovar-themed merchandise, which included an action figure in a lab coat and sunglasses. The figurine was depicted with a wide grin, mimicking Kintovar's enthusiasm.

  “Why, look at this,” Juliana said with a twinkle in her eye, holding up the action figure.

  Kintovar chuckled at her figure, however, some of the nearby fans raised their eyebrows in confusion, whispering among themselves.

  "Who's that supposed to be?" one onlooker asked, glancing between the real Kintovar and the merchandise.

  "She must be important if he's with the sisters," another speculated.

  The group then paused for a moment to watch the highlights of the earlier matches on the large screen in the center of the arena. Cheers and gasps from the audience mirrored the excitement they had witnessed earlier.

  After the 10-minute break, the Grand Arena had been expertly repaired, and the stage was set for the next round of thrilling matches. Stronberg's magical prowess had worked wonders in restoring the arena to its former glory.

  The announcer's boomed throughout the arena. "Alright, ladies and gents, we're back in business! Thanks to Stronberg's magical handiwork, this Grand Arena's lookin' finer than a new set of spurs! We've got everything fixed up nice and shiny, and we're all set for the next round of high-octane battles. Y'all can feel the anticipation cracklin' like a campfire, can't ya? Get ready to witness some more jaw-droppin' action!"

  Roselle, Risebelle, Runebelle, and Dr. Kintovar returned to their seats.

  In the sixth match, Alder faced off against Faelan. The battle began, and Alder activated his Beast Strength ability. His muscles bulged with newfound power. He charged toward Faelan with incredible force, launching a flurry of powerful blows. Faelan summoned his unique power, growing a set of wings and feathers that allowed him to evade Alder's attacks

  The battle quickly became heated. Alder roared in frustration as Faelan effortlessly dodged his strikes, flapping his wings to stay just out of reach.

  The crowd, caught up in the spectacle, began to chant “Olé!” each time Faelan evaded Alder's charge.

  After a while, Alder paused, catching his breath. His eyes locked onto Faelan. The two combatants circled each other.

  Alder, frustration evident in his voice, shouted, “Stop moving around, you little bastard! Fight me properly!”

  Faelan, unperturbed, eyed Alder with a calm gaze before closing his eyes. “Very well,” he said with a serene tone. “Let’s end this. We won’t move from this spot in the air. Try to hit me.”

  Alder, fueled by anger, roared, “Gladly!” and leaped up toward Faelan with renewed determination.

  Faelan’s wings spread wide. He declared, “Feather Dance!”

  In response, thousands of sharp, glistening feathers erupted from his wings, filling the air with a deadly storm of pointed projectiles. The feathers swirled around Alder in a relentless barrage, slicing through the air with precision. Alder tried to dodge, but the sheer number of feathers overwhelmed him. The sharp points pierced through his defenses, and he dropped to the ground with a loud thud.

  Faelan descended gracefully. His wings folded neatly behind him once he was on the ground. Alder lay on the ground with his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

  In the seventh match, Myra faced Toren. Myra possessed a captivating charm that drew Toren in from the moment they locked eyes. Toren, however, didn't even get a chance to use his powers. Myra's ethereal beauty and alluring presence had him entranced, rendering his abilities useless.

  The audience watched in amazement. In the end, Myra's enchanting powers overcame Toren, and he could do nothing but concede defeat.

  The final match of the first round pitted Silas against Kael. Silas had the power to control plants and took on a plant-like appearance herself, while Kael was a necromancer who commanded undead zombies. His eyes had a vacant, almost lifeless gaze, and his skin had an unnatural paleness.

  Silas gracefully swayed her body and summoned her plant children, who began to surround Kael. She commanded, "Keep him busy, my darlings."

  Kael spoke for the first time with a lifeless tone. "Tell me, plant lady, have you ever danced with the dead?"

  After he asked the question, a barrage of seed bullets from Silas's plant children came flying toward him.

  Kael raised his hands and gathered a dark energy around it. Suddenly, the earth beneath him began to tremble, and from the ground emerged a massive Undead Giant hulking from the remains of long-forgotten creatures.

  The Undead Giant's maw opened wide, and it devoured the oncoming seeds. With a guttural groan, the giant lurched forward.

  Silas maintained her composure while the creature approached them.

  Roselle watched the unfolding battle attention. She leaned over and whispered to Kintovar, "This battle looks interesting, doesn't it?"

  Kintovar nodded and replied, "Indeed, it's quite a unique matchup. The clash between life and death always presents fascinating dynamics."

  Juliana, sitting nearby, joined the conversation. "Undead creatures are intriguing from a magical and biological perspective. They challenge the boundaries of life and death, often defying our conventional understanding. It's a realm where science and magic intersect."